Chair arm-mountable accessory-carrying device



y 1962 w. D. GERMICK 3,042,467

CHAIR ARM-MOUNTABLE ACCESSORY-CARRYING DEVICE Filed Jan. 24, 1961INVENTOR. WILLARD D. GERMICK United States Patent 3,642,467 CHAIRARM-MGUNTABLE ACCESSORY- CARRYING DEVICE Willard D. Germicli,Doylestown, Pa., assignor of onetenth to Gadget-Of-The-Month Club, Inc,North Hollywood, Calif, a corporation of California Filed Jan. 24, 1961,Ser. No. 84,592 1 Claim. (Cl. 311-17) The present invention consists ofan accessory-carrying device adapted to normally be mounted independingrelationship with respect to a chair arm and immediately outside thereofso as to not in any way interfere with the sitting region of the chair,but so as to be conveniently at hand for access by a person sitting inthe chair so that magazines, drinks, and the like, may be efiectivelycarried by the device between periods of use by a person sitting in thechair.

In one preferred form, the device may include protective cover meansadapted to be controllably moved into protective covering relationshipover the device during non-use periods whereby to prevent damage to anymagazines or other articles positioned in the device.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel chairarm-mountable accessory-carrying device of the character referred toabove, which is of extremely simple, cheap, foolproof construction suchas to be conducive to widespread use of the device.

Further objects are implicit in the detailed description which followshereinafter and will be apparent to persons skilled in the art after acareful study thereof.

For the purpose of clarifying the nature of the present invention, oneexemplary embodiment is illustrated in the hereinbelow-described figuresof the accompanying drawings and is described in detail hereinafter.

FIG. 1 is an oblique view of one exemplary form of the present inventionshown in mounted relationship with respect to a chair arm (shownfragmentarily for drawing simplification and space conservationreasons).

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but illustrates the apparatus withthe shelf-tray means in downwardly folded non-use position and alsoshows the drinking glass support member removed from the device.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 2 but shows the apparatus afterthe protective cover means has been thrown over the open top of thereceptacle whereby to protect the contents thereof from rain, or thelike.

FIG. 4 is a view of the device as seen from the opposite side of FIG. 2and shows the reverse surface of the protective cover in an innerposition carrying pockets in a conveniently accessible position for use.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but shows the waterproof cover in thereverse position such as illustrated in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5 but illustrates the use of theconnection means for the purpose of cornpensating for a non-horizontalpositioning of the chair arm whereby to cause the receptacle to hang ina true vertical position despite the non-horizontal position of thechair arm.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken in the directionof the arrows 7-7 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken in the direction of thearrows 8-8 of FIG. 5.

FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view illustrating theremovable attachment of the drinking glass support member of FIG. 1 tothe end wall of the receptacle.

Referring to the figures for exemplary purposes, one illustrativeembodiment of the invention takes a typical exemplary form wherein itcomprises an open-topped receptacle, indicated generally'at 20, forcarrying accessory items and being provided with a securing strap,indicated generally at 21, removably and angularly adjustably connectedto one side thereof by the connection means indicated generally at 22,and having a free remote fastening end portion 23 adapted to be passedover a supporting chair arm, such as that indicated at 24, and to befirmly fastened to another fastening portion 25 by fastening means 26.In the specific example illustrated, the open-topped receptacle has anouter wall 23, an inner wall 29, a bottom wall 30, and two end walls 31which together define a hollow interior storage chamber, indicatedgenerally at 32, within the receptacle 20 and normally accessiblethrough the open top 33 thereof.

The receptacle 20 is adapted to store magazines, books, newspapers, anda variety of other articles which an occupant of the chair may desire touse while sitting in the chair. In the specific example illustrated, thereceptacle 20 may be made of metal, plastic, or various other suitablematerials.

In the specific example illustrated, the securing strap, indicatedgenerally at 21, is preferably made of a flexible material such asfabric, flexible plastic sheeting, or the like, although notspecifically so limited.

In the specific example illustrated, the connection means indicatedgenerally at 22 for connecting the securing strap 21 to the inner wall29 of the open-topped receptacle 20 comprises headed projecting pin-typeengaging means 34 controllably insertible into apertured and slottedengaging means 35 which consists of a plurality of holes 35A largeenough to receive the heads 34A of the pins 34 and upwardly extendingsmaller diameter slots 35B adapted to allow slidable movement of thepins 34 therein but too small to allow direct withdrawal of the largerpin heads 34A positioned therebehind when the connection means 22 is infully engaged position as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7.

It should be noted that the plurality of pins 34 and the plurality ofapertured slotted engaging means 35 are arranged for selectiveengagement in a desired angular orientation with respect to a transverseaxis extending transversely through and perpendicular to the inner andouter side walls 29 and 28 of the receptacle 20. This is for the purposeof allowing adjustment so that the receptacle 24) will hang in a truevertical orientation even though the securing strap 21 is positioned ona chair arm 24 Which is angularly displaced from a true horizontalposition as shown in FIG. 6.

It should be noted that the lower end of the belt-like strap 25 isprovided with headed pin-type engaging means 34 generally similar to thepin-type engaging means 34 shown in detail in FIG. 7 and similarlycooperable with any of a plurality of slotted engaging means 35'generally similar to the slotted engaging means 35 best shown in FIGS. 5and 6. Since the structure of the pin-type engaging means 34 and slottedengaging means 35 are similar to those shown at 34 and 35 and previouslydescribed in detail in connection therewith, it is thought that furtherdescription of the elements 34' and 35 is not necessary. It should benoted that this feature of the invention is best shown in FIG. 8 and allportions of the connection means comprising the pin-type engaging means34 and slotted engaging means 35 are designated by similar referencenumerals (primed however) corresponding to those designatingcorresponding parts of the connection means previously described andillustrated and just referred to above.

In the specific example illustrated, the free remote fastening endportion 23 of the securing strap 21 is a belt-like structure having aplurality of holes 36 therein and is adapted to cooperate with thefastening means 26 carried by the other belt-like strap 25, whichcomprises a buckle through which the apertured strap end 23 is adaptedto be passed in a manner such that the pivoted buckle latch member 37passes through any selected one of the holes 36. This provides aconvenient means for firmly fastening the recaptacle 263 with respect tothe chair arm 24 on the outer side thereof in firmly mountedrelationship with respect thereto. However, it should be noted that anytype of buckle or, indeed, virtually any type of fastener may beemployed for this purpose other than the specific belt and buckle typeof fastening means illustrated in the figures.

Exterior portions of the receptacle 20 may additionally be provided withapertured and slotted engaging means adapted to removably mountexteriorly positioned support means which in turn are adapted to carryvarious articles and/or containers such as glasses, bottles, cups, andother types of containers and articles in a position for convenientaccess by a person sitting in the chair. Certain of such engaging meansare indicated generally at 38 as being carried by the end walls 31 ofthe receptacle 2t and the support means which they are adapted to carryare indicated generally by the reference numeral 39. Bottles, cups, andother items adapted to be carried by the support means 39 are designatedgenerally by the reference numeral 44?.

In the specific example illustrated, said engaging means indicatedgenerally at 38 are of an apertured and slotted type including apertures38A large enough to receive the heads 41A of headed pins 41 comprisingengaging means carried by the support means 39 whereby the smallerdiameter pin portions 41 may be slidably moved down the slotted portions385 of the engaging means 38 so as to retain the larger headed portions41A in a manner such as to firmly mount the support means 39 inoutwardly projecting position from the end walls 31 in the manner bestshown in FIG. 1 at the left end of the receptacle 20, although notlimited to said location. The support means 39 includes a recessed uppersurface surrounded by an edge flange, such as is indicated at 42,whereby to positively position and hold a container of the typeindicated at 4%} therein for convenient use by an occupant of a chairfragmentarily shown by the portion of the arm 24 thereof.

The outer wall 28 of the receptacle 2!) may also be provided withshelf-tray means, such as is indicated at 43, which is hinged at the topthereof, as indicated at 44, to the outer wall 28 of the receptacle 2%)for movement from the normal non-use position lying immediatelyalongside of the outer wall 28 as shown in FIG. 2 into a horizontallyextended use position as shown in FIG. 1, in which position it ismaintained by the inwardly directed prop means 45 pivotally attached asindicated at 46 and having its bottom transverse portion 47 removablyengage'd by the projecting engaging means 48 carried by the outersurface of the outer wall 23 of the receptacle 20 whereby to firmlysupport the shelf-tray 43 in the outwardly projecting position shown inFIG. 1 when desired.

it should be noted that the surface of the shelf-tray 43 which iseffectively the outer surface thereof when said shelf-tray 43 is in thedownwardly folded position shown in FIG. 2, is provided with engaginrmeans of a type similar to that shown at 38 as being carried by the endwalls 31 and, in this case, designated by the reference numeral 38. Thisis for the purpose of allowing support means of the type shown at 39 tobe removably engaged with the outer surface of the downwardly foldedshelf-tray means 4-3 when in the position shown in FIG. 2.

The open-topped receptacle 2t) may be effectively provided adjacent thetop thereof with a protective cover means such as is indicated generallyat 49 and which, in the example illustrated, comprises a flexiblethin-sheet cover member which may be made of fabric, thin-sheet plasticmaterial, or any other suitable protective mate: rial which ispreferably water impervious and which is adapted to be thrown over theopen top 33 of the receptacle 26 for protective purposes when dampness,dew,

Ag. mist, rain, fog, or the like, might tend to moisten the contents ofthe open topped receptacle 20. For example,

if the chair is left out overnight, the protective cover means 49 willnormally be thrown over the open top 33 of the receptacle 20 as shown inFIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 7. At other times, the protective cover 49 may beallowed to hang down the inside of the chair arm 24 just inside of thesecuring strap fastening means 26 in the manner shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and4.

It should be noted that the inner side or the reverse side of theprotective cover 21 is provided with pocket means 5% having controllablyopenable and closable pocket flaps or covers 51 andfastening means 52thus providing an arrangement increasing the storage capacity of theunit when it is in the use position shown in FIG. 4.

It should be noted that the specific type of securing and/or fasteningmeans for mounting the entire device on a chair arm and the specifictype of engaging means employed for removably mounting the containersupport means may be modified substantially from the specific exemplaryillustrative embodiment shown in the drawings and described in detailhereinbefore without departing from the basic spirit, scope, and/orteachings of the present invention. It should also be noted that, incertain forms of the invention, the shelf-tray may be modifiedsubstantially, arranged for removable engagement with respect to thereceptacle or eliminated entirely. This is also true of the protectivecover means.

It should be understood that the figures and the specific descriptionthereof set forth in this application are for the purpose ofillustrating the present invention and are not to be construed aslimiting the present invention to the precise and detailed specificstructure shown in the figures and specifically described hereinbefore.Rather, the real invention is intended to include substantiallyequivalent constructions embodying the basic teachings and inventiveconcept of the present invention.

I claim:

A chair arm-mountable accessory-carrying device, comprising: anopen-topped receptacle for carrying accessory items, the outer side ofsaid receptacle being hingedly provided adjacent the top with shelf-traymeans norm-ally lying in downwardly extending relationship immediatelyalongside of the outer side of the receptacle but being controllablymovable into a substantially horizontal, outwardly extending positionand being provided with underneath pivotally mounted downwardly andinwardly directed prop means engageable with engaging supporting meanscarried by the outer side of the receptacle for firmly supporting saidshelf-tray in said horizontal position when desired, exterior portionsof said receptacle being provided with first engaging means comprisingapertured and slotted engaging means; support means provided with secondengaging means comprising projecting headed pin-engaging means adaptedto be removably inserted into and supportingly received by said firstengaging means for firmly mounting said support means outwardly of saidreceptacle; the inner side of said receptacle being provided with thirdengaging means comprising apertured and slotted engaging means arrangedin a plurality of differently angularly positioned orientations withrespect to a transverse axis extending transversely through the innerand outer sides of the receptacle; and supporting strap means havingopposite ends provided with fourth engaging means comprising headedprojecting pin engaging means controllably insertible into selected onesof said third engaging means for effectively fastening said strap meansover a chair arm to the inner side of said receptacle in a selectedangular orientation relative thereto such as to compensate for angularpositioning of the chair arm over which said supporting strap means isto be fastened the outer surface of the downwardly folded shelf-traybeing also provided with first engaging means comprising apertured andslotted engaging means adapted to removably receive said second engagingmeans aud mount said support means; said opentopped receptacle beingprovided adjacent the top thereof with a flexible protectivewater-impervious cover adapted to be thrown over the open top of thereceptacle for protective purposes When desired.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS993,818 Bethea May 30, 1911

